Acetylene-gas generator.



Patented Mar. l3, |900.

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

Lff L16 57 3S a6 noauto@ WM fg avion-neg Ollllillllllllilllllun W. RUSS.

AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application led July 11, 1898.)

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No. 645,27I.

(No Model.)

No. 645,271. Patenfed Mar. la, |900. w. nnss.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR. (Application-filed July 11, 189B.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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I UNITED STATES ATENT W'ILLIAM ROSS, OF MONTREAL, CANADA.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.7645,271, dated March13, 190C).

Applicationiiled July l1, 1898. Serial No. 685,653. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known thatl, WILLIAM Ross, of the city of Montreal, Province ofQuebec, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in GasApparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,

and exact description of the same.

My invention relates particularly to the manufacture of acetylene gas;and it has for its object to supply absolutely-pu re gas to theconsumer, to enable all the air that may happen to gather in theapparatus to be exhausted before any gas can dow, to provide anautomatic feed of the calcium carbid as the gasgenerative power of thesupply in the apparatus diminishes, to provide a gas-holder that Will becapable of containing a comparativelylarge supply of gas, thusnecessitating a long seal, and at the same time enable the gas whengenerated to pass through and free itself only from that amount of waternecessary to its generation, to provide an apparatus that may be carriedfrom place to place without any danger of its parts becomingdisarranged, and to further improve the general construction of thisclass of apparatus, as will be hereinafter clearly set forth.

The invention may ber said briefly to consist of a body portion in theform of a cylinder having its lower end closed by a double bottom formedof a pair of cones connected together and to the lower end of thecylinder at their bases, each cone being truncated and the inner oneconnected at its apex to the lower end of a pipe which extends to apoint on a level with the upper end of the cylinder. Over this pipe islit-ted a core in the form of a'cylindrical drum, havinga longitudinalcentral opening of' greater diameter than said pipe in order to allow itto take over said pipe and leave an encircling space, while an openingis cut through the cylinder and inner cone at their adjoining edges, andthe edges of said openings are connected by a diaphragm, thusmaintaining the division between the space in the cylinder and the spacebetween the two cones and providing a passage for a carbiddrawer, to bepresently described. A lateral chamber is formed on the exterior of thecylinder and has an inclined bottom extending on a similar plane to thatof the outer or lowcrmost cone-aud has an opening corresponding to thesaid passage and receives a drawer having its forward end inclined andformed of wire-mesh and adapted to be slipped into the space inclosed bysaid cones and said inclined end cover over the truncated apex of saidlower cone, to which a draw-off cock is connected. A vertically-movabledome is ar'- ranged within said cylindrical body portion, which isfilled to almost its full capacity with water. The gas-exhaust pipeleads from a point within the dome above the level of the waterdownwardly and through the water and to the consumer. This pipe isadapted to receive only the pure gas from the dome by means of a floatresting on the surface of said water and presenting a space between itand the surface, with which space said pipe is connected by 'a flexibleconnection. A safety blow-o pipe is provided by taking a standpipe fromthe space in the dome to the external chamber before mentioned, fromwhich a second pipe leads to the open air, the standpipe having itsupper end furnished with a safety-valve adapted to be operated by thedome when it has been raised by the gas-pressure to any predeterminedheight, the gas being thereby allowed to escape to the open air and thepressure in the dome reduced.

The means that I prefer to use for automatically supplying the calciumcarbid to the space between the cones (which space is filled with Waterthrough the drawer-passage before the drawer is slid in) consists of anendless belt carrying a series, of buckets to which the calcium carbidis fed either from a hopper or, as I prefer, by hand, the belt beingactuated by means of a star-wheel mounted upon one of the shafts of thepulleys over whichthe belt is looped, said star-wheel beingv acted uponby the dome through a projection fromv the exterior of the ,dome andrevolved sufficiently tol cause one of the buckets to drop its contentsinto the drawer.

yFor full comprehension, however, of the foregoing and of my inventionin its entirety reference must be had to the accompanying drawn gs,forming a part of this specification, in whichlike symbols indicate thesame parts, and wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatusconstructed according to my invention; Fig.2, a longitudinal verticalsection al view thereof,

taken on line 2 2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a transverse horizontal sectionalview thereof looking down, taken on line 3 3, Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a detailView of the star-wheel through the rnedium o'f which the belt is driven;Fig. 5, a detail View of the endless belt; Fig. 6, a detail plan View ofthe under side of the oat; Fig. 7, an enlarged transverse horizontalsectional view taken on line 7 7, Fig. 2; and Fig. 8, a detail View ofthe safety-valve.

10 is the cylindrical body portion, having a a pair ofoppositely-arranged truncated cones 11 and 12, connected at their basesto the bottom edge thereof, thus forming the generating or decomposingchamber 9. Openings are cut through the cylindrical body portion and theupper cone 1l, and the edges of said openings are connected by adiaphragm 13, thus forming a passage 14. A chamber 15 is formed on theexterior of the body portion and has an opening corresponding to thebefore-mentioned openings cut in its side to rcceive a drawer 16,adapted to slide into the passage 14, said drawer having its inner end17 formed of wire-mesh or the like adapted to act as a false bottom tothe generating or decomposing chamber 9, the truncated lower end ofwhich has a drain-cock 18 connected thereto. This drawer carries thecalcium carbid, and the passage 14 serves as a port through which thechamber 9 can be supplied with water.

20 is the gas-conducting pipe, which leads from the truncated apex ofthe cone 11, to which it is connected, to a point on a level with theupper end of the cylindrical body portion.

21 is the dome or gas-holder, about equal4 in length to and slightlyless in diameter than` the cylindrical body portion within which it islocated, a water seal 22 serving to retain the gas fed to the interiorthereof.

It is a well-known fact that acetylene gas is much more buoyant than airand also that the greatest diiiculty has been experienced lin trying toprevent the collection of air in the gas-chamber. I completely overcomethis difficulty by causing the first flow from the gas-chamber to beWhatever air may have collected therein, and this I accomplish by meansadapted to automatically adjust itself to always draw from the lowermostpoint of the gas-chamber. To this end I provide a Iioat adapted to restupon the surface of the water seal 22, which constitutes the bottom ofthe gas-chamber X, and this lioat constantly suspends the lower end ofthe How-pipe a short distance above said Water seal. This float consistsof a plate 25, having a series of preferably three air-chambers formedon its under side by means of dish -like devices 26, soldered orotherwise connected thereto, said plate being slotted, as at 27, toaccommodate the gas-conductor 20, and perforated, as at 28, so as toprovide an opening from the gaschamber to the lower end of a shortstandpipe 29, connected to the edge of such perforation 28. The lnainlength 30 of the :dowpipe extends from a point within the gaschamberdownwardly'through the seal and out of the body portion of theapparatus, as at 31, the upper end of this length 30 being connected tothe short stand-pipe 29 by an intermediate length of pipe 31a, connectedto each by any well-known and approved form of universal joints,(indicated at 32,) thus enabling the float to fall and rise with theseal as it evaporates and is replenished and at the same time to causethe gas to be drawn constantly from the lowermost point in thegas-chamber.

33 is the safety blow-off pipe, which leads from a point above thewater-level in the gas chamber downward around the lower edge of thedome 2l when in its lowermost position and upwardly between said domeand the cylindrical body portion 10 to apoint above the uppermostposition attainable by the lower edge of said dome. This pipe has itsouter end sealed and communicates with the exterior carbid-chamber 15through an opening cut through the wall of the casing, as shown in Fig.'7, a short distance below the top of said chamber 15, whichcommunicates with the open air through a pipe 34. My object in extendingthe pipe 33 is to obviate any chance of the lower edge of the dometripping upon the upper end thereof descending. The end of the pipewithin the dome is furnished with a safety-valve 35, operated by a stop36, carried on the inside of the dome and adapted to open the valve whenthe dome rises, owing to excessive gas-pressure, to a predeterminedheight, thus allowing the gas to blow oifthrough a pipe 34, connectingthe upper end of the chamber 15 with the open air and the pressure to bereduced to normal.

In order to enable the apparatus to automaticall y feed itself withcarbid, a horizontal chamber 37 is provided and mounted upon theexterior of the cylindrical body portion adjacent to the chamber 15,with which it communicates by means of a chute 38, the lower end whereofis normally closed bya spring-door 39. kAn endless belt 40, providedwith a series of buckets 4l, is located within said chamber 37 and takesover a pair of pulleys 42 and 43, mounted upon shafts 44 and 45,respectively, bearing in the sides of said chamber 37. A star-wheel 46,mounted upon the shaft 44, is adapted to be actuated by a bracketprojection upon the dome as it descends, thus causing the belt to travela sufiicient distance to upset one of the buckets and discharge thecalcium carbid contained therein -into the chute 38, the door 39 ofwhich will be opened by the weight of the carbid, which will passthrough it and be precipitated into the drawer, down which it will slideinto the generating or decomposing chamber and rest upon the wire-meshend of said drawer in order that it .may be readily withdrawn forcleansing purposes, while the dead-water may IOO IIO

be as readily drawn olf through the cock 1S at the bottom of theapparatus.

I have found that the large mass of water necessitated by a constructionaccording to the foregoing not only interferes exceedingly with theportability of the apparatus, but also necessitates that the apparatusbe constructed of exceedingly'strong and heavy material. In order toobviate this defect, I provide a core in the form of a hollowcylindrical drum 50, having a longitudinal central opening 51 ofsufficiently-greater diameter than the conductor 2O to take over it andprovide a free space therebetween and the sides of said opening, saidcore being su pportedupon legs 52, connected at their bottom ends to theupper side of the cone 11. This core serves the double purpose ofdisplacing an unrequired mass of water, and with it an unde-l sirableweight, and of'enabling the gas to be cooled, this latter being effectedby passing both the conductor 2O and the main portion 30 of the dow-pipethrough the body of water in the gas-holder, which, as has been clearlyset forth, is divided from the body of water in the decomposing-chamberand is therefore not subject to the heat induced by the decomposition ofthe carbid.-

What I claim is as follows:

l. An acetylene-gas apparatus comprising a generating-chamber containingwater and Aconsisting of a pair of truncated cones 1ocated one above theother and connected together and hermetically sealed at their bases; alateral passage through which calcium carbid can be supplied to thewaterin said chamber; a gas-conductin g pipe connected at one end to thetruncated apex of the upper cone; and means for discharging the contentsof the lower cone, for the purpose set forth.

2. An acetylene-gas apparatus comprising a generating-chamber containingwater and consisting of apair oftruncated cones located one above theother and connected together and hermeticall y sealed at their bases;means comprising an inclined lateral conductingpassage and ahorizontally-arranged traveling belt adapted to conduct predeterminedquantities of calcium carbid to said conducting-passage, for supplyingcalcium carbid to the water in said chamber; gas-conducting pipeconnected at one end to the truncated apex o f said upper cone; andmeans for discharging the contents of said lower cone, for the purposeset forth.

3. An acetylene-gas apparatus comprising a cylindrical bodyportion,agenerating-chamber consisting of a pair of truncated cones con-l nectedtogether, and to the lower end of said body portion at their bases andconstructed to contain a body of water; means for supplying calciumcarbid to the water in said generatingchamber; a dome of less diameterthan and taking into said cylindrical body portion; a water seal in saidbody portion and sealing the lower end of said dome; a gas-conductingpipe connected at its lower end to the truncated apex of said inner coneand leading through said seal to a point above the surface thereof; agas-dow pipe leading from a point above the Water seal in the domedownwardly through said seal and out of the body portion; and a draw-offcock connected to the truncated apex of the outer cone, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

4:. An acetylene-gas apparatus comprising a cylindrical body portion, agenerating-chamber consisting of a pair of truncated cones connectedtogether, and to the lower end of said body portion at their bases; andconstructed to contain a body of water; means comprising ahorizontally-arranged traveling belt, having a series of partitionsprojecting at right angles thereto, and a conducting-passage forsupplying calcium carbid to the water in said generating-chamber; a domeof less diameter than and taking into said lcylindrical body portion; awater seal in said body portion and sealing the lower end of said dome;a gas-conducting pipe connected at its lower end to the truncated apexofsaid inner cone and leading through said seal to a point above thesurface thereof; a gas-dow 'pipe ,leading from a point above the waterseal in the dome downwardly through said seal and out of the bodyportion; and a draw-off cock connected to the truncated apex of theouter cone, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. An acetylene-gas apparatus comprising ICO a generating-chamber,aremovableperforated diaphragm extending transversely of said chamber ashort distance above the bottom thereof for supporting the calciumcarbid, a lateral inclined opening or passage to said chamber and meansfor removing said perforated diaphragm through such lateral openingsubstantially as described.

6. In an acetylene-gas apparatus comprising a generating-chamber, havinga lateral inclined opening or passage, la drawer for containing calciumcarbid and adapted to be slid into said chamber through said passage;means for sealing the opening through which said drawer slides and saiddrawer having its inner end formed of wire mesh and arranged at an angleto the vertical, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. An acetylene-gas apparatus comprising a cylindrical bodyrportion, apair 0f truncated cones connected together, end of said body portion, attheir bases; registering openings cut through said body portion and theinner cone, the edges. of said openings being connected by a diaphragm;a drawer adapted to be slid into the passage formed by said openings anddiaphragm; a dome of less diameter than and taking into said cylindricalbody portion; a water seal in said body portion and sealing the lowerend of said dome; a gas-conducting pipe connected at its lower end tothe truncated apex of said inner cone and leading through said seal to apoint above the surface thereof; a gas- IIO flow pipe leading from apoint above the water seal in the dome downwardly through said seal andout of the body portion and a drawod cock connected to the truncatedapex of the outer cone, for the purpose set forth.

8. An acetylene-gas apparatus comprising a cylindrical body portion, apair of truncated cones connected together, and to the lower end of saidbody portion, at their bases; registering openings out through said bodyportion and the inner cone, the edges of4 said openings being connectedby a diaphragm; a drawer adapted to be slid into the passage formed bysaid openings and diaphragm, said drawer having its inner end formed of'wire mesh or the like; a dome of less diameter than and taking intosaid cylindrical body portion; awater seal in said body portion andsealing the lower end of said dome; a gas-conducting pipe connected atits lower end to the truncated apex of said inner cone and leadingthrough said seal to a point above the surface thereof; a gas-flow pipeleading from a point above the water seal in the dome downwardly throughsaid seal and out of the body portion; and a draw-oft` cock connected tothe truncated apex of the outer cone, pose set forth.

9. An acetylene-gas apparatus comprising a cylindrical bod y portion, apair of truncated cones connected together, and to the lower end of saidbody portion, at their bases; registering openings cut through said bodyportion and the inner cone, the edges of said openings being connectedbya diaphragm; a drawer adapted to be slid into the passage formed bysaid openings and diaphragm; a dome of less diameter than and takinginto said cylindrical body portion; a water seal in said body portionand sealing the lower end of said dome; agas-conducting pipe connectedat its lower end to the truncated apex of said inner cone and leadingthrough said seal to a point above the surface thereof; a gasiiow pipeleading from a point above the water seal in the dome downwardly throughsaid seal and out of the body portion a iioat resting upon the surfaceof said seal, a short stand-pipe carried by said float and having itslower end maintained thereby constantly a short distance above thesurface of said seal, a iiexible tubular connection between the upperends of said stand-pipe and How-pipe; and

a draw-off cock connected to the truncated apex of the outer cone,forth.

10. An acetylene-gas apparatus comprising a cylindrical body portion, apair of truncated cones connected together and to the lower end of saidbody portion, at their bases; registering openings cut through said bodyportion and the inner cone, the edges of said openings being connectedby a diaphragm; a drawer adapted to be slid into the passage formed bysaid openings and diaphragm; a dome of less diameter than and takinginto said cylindrical body portion; a water seal in for the 'purpose set,l 645ml said body portion and sealing the lower end of said dome; agas-conducting pipe connected at its lower end to the truncated apex ofsaid inner cone and leading through said seal to a point above thesurface thereof; a core located in said cylindrical body portion andconsisting of a cylindrical drum having a longitudinal openingtherethrough of slightlygreater diameter than and adapted to take oversaid gas-conducting pipe, means for su pporting said core a shortdistance above the inner cone; a gas-flow pipe leading from a pointabove the water seal in the dome downwardly through said seal and out ofthe body portion; and a draw-od cock connected to the truncated apex ofthe outer cone, for the purpose set forth.

1l. An acetylene-gas apparatus comprising a cylindrical body portion,apair of truncated cones connected together and to the lower end of saidbody portion, at their bases; registering openings cut through said bodyportion and the inner cone, the edges of said openings being connectedby a diaphragm; a drawer adapted to be slid into the passage formed bysaid openings and diaphragm said drawer having its inner end formed ofwire mesh or the like; a dome of less diameter than and taking into saidcylindrical body portion; a water seal in said body portion and sealingthe lower end of said dome; a gas-conducting pipe connected at its lowerend to the truncated apex of said inner cone and leading through saidseal to a point above the surface thereof; a core located in saidcylindrical body portion and consisting of a cylindrical drum having alongitudinal opening therethrough of slightly-greater diameter than andadapted to take over said gas-conducting pipe, means for supporting saidcore a short distance above the inner cone; a gas-How pipe 'leading froma point above the water seal in the dome downwardly through said sealand out of the pody portion; and a draw-off cock connected to thetruncated apex of the outer cone, for the purpose set forth.

l2. An acetylene-gas apparatus comprising a cylindrical body portion, apair of truncated cones connected together, and to the lower end of saidbody portion, at their bases; registering openings out through said bodyportion and the inner cone, the edges of said openings being connectedby a diaphragm; a drawer adapted to be slid into the passage formed bysaid openings and diaphragm, said drawer having its inner end formed ofwire mesh or the like; a dome of less diameter than and taking into saidcylindrical body portion; a water seal in said body portion and sealingthe lower end of said dome; a gas-conducting pipe connected at its lowerend to the truncated apex of said inner cone and leading through said.seal to a point above the surface thereof; a gas-dow pipe leading from apoint above the water seal in the dome downwardly through said seal andout of the body portion; a iioat resting upon the surface of said seal,

IOC

a short stand-pipe carried by said float and having its lower endmaintained thereby constantly a short distance above the surface of saidseal, a flexible tubular connection between the upper ends of saidstand-pipe and flow-pipe; and a draw-off cock connected to the truncatedapex of the outer cone, for the purpose set forth.

13. An acetylene-gas apparatus comprising a cylindrical body portion, apair of truncated cones connected together and to the lower end of saidbody portion, at their bases; registering openings cut through said bodyportion and the inner cone, the edges of said openings being connectedby a diaphragm; a drawer adapted to be slid into the passage formed bysaid openings and diaphragm; a dome of less diameter than and takinginto said cylindrical body portion; a water seal in said body portionand sealing the lower end of said dome; agas-conducting pipe connectedat its lower end to the truncated apex of said inner cone and leadingthrough said seal to a point above the surface thereof; a core locatedin said cylindrical body portion and consisting of a cylindrical drumhaving a longitudinal opening therethrough of slightlygreater diameterthan and adapted to take over said gas-conducting pipe meansfoi-supporting said core a short distance above the innercone; agas-flowpipeleading from apoint above the water seal in the dome downwardlythrough said seal and out of the body portion; a float resting upon thesurface of said seal, a short stand-pipe carried by said float andhaving its lower end maintained thereby constantly a short distanceabove the sur face of said seal, a flexible tubular connection betweenthe upper ends of said standpipe and How-pipe, and a draw-off cockconnected to the truncated apex of the outer cone, for the purpose setforth.

14. An acetylene-gas apparatus comprising a cylindrical body portion, apair of truncated cones connected together and to the lower end of saidbody portion, at their bases; registering openings cut through said bodyportion and the inner cone, the edges of said openings being connectedby a diaphragm; a drawer adapted to be slid into the passage formed bysaid openings and diaphragm, said drawer having itsinner end formed ofwire mesh or the like; a dome of less diameter than and taking into saidcylindrical body portion; a water seal in said body portion and sealin gthe lower end of said dome; a gasconducting pipe connected at its lowerend to the truncated apex of said inner cone and leading through saidseal to a point above the surface thereof; a core located in saidcylindrical body portion,and consisting of a cylindrical drum having alongitudinal opening therethrough of slightly-greater diameter than andadapted to take over said gasconducting pipe; means for supporting saidcore a short distance above the inner cone; a gas-flow pipe leading froma point above the water seal in the dome downwardly through said sealand out of the body portion; a ioat resting upon the surface of saidseal, a short stand-pipe carried by said float and having its lower endmaintained thereby constantly a short distance above the surface of saidseal, a flexible tubular connection between the upper ends of saidstand-pipe and iowpipe; and a draw-off cock connected to the truncatedapex of the outer cone, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have afxed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM ROSS. Witnesses:

WILLIAM I?. MCFEAT, FRED. J. SEARS.

